Latest news on Stepladder Plus Roll-out ..

Young people in care aged 15-17 are welcome to participate in the Stepladder Plus programme from all UK local authorities. Meanwhile the Stepladder course without incentives (Standard Stepladder) is available to all 15-17 year-olds in care, and all care leavers up to the age of 25.  

So far, 1,500 young people from 162 local authorities have benefited, with participants completing an average of at least four of the six steps. We carry out regular surveys with care leavers to collate their comments on both their account and the Stepladder scheme, and to establish their NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) levels at 19 or over.

At present, there is no central government funding available for the cost of incentives, notwithstanding its effectiveness in reducing ‘NEET at 19’ rates as a result of £1.3 million philanthropic and other funding committed to Q1 2025. Incentive levels have therefore had to be reduced to a maximum of £750 as from 1st March 2025 in order to ensure that access can be continued across all UK local authorities and health trusts.

However, because the Scottish government is minded to match-fund our philanthropic funding for the cost of incentives, young people with Scottish local authorities will continue to be able to benefit from the original levels of up to a maximum of £1,500. Please note that the video below contains a reference to this original level, which now only applies in Scotland.